


Coffee and Tea

by id_ten_it



Category: NCIS
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-02
Updated: 2018-01-02
Packaged: 2019-02-26 15:10:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 810
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13238361
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/id_ten_it/pseuds/id_ten_it
Summary: Short slow-build of Ducky appreciating a new present Gibbs has got him.Could be read Ducky/Gibbs if you so desired, but doesn't have to be. It certainly is Gibbs/coffee!





	Coffee and Tea

Coffee sums Gibbs up, Ziva thinks. The way he drinks it- straight American black (which means less refined and a little weaker than it should be) reflects his upright speech. Bought several times a day from the nearest Starbucks (she can't stand their coffee. It's not exactly tasty.) shows his American roots. The picture of him with a coffee in hand, one hand in the top drawer of his desk, leaning over, is Gibbs. Which is why she's surprised to see him walking about with what can only be termed a teapot. He takes it to the bathroom and back at least twice a day- to clean and refill it with clean water- and then disappears.

 

 

There's a picture McGee has from a pile of the things Abby gave him one year 'to stick over your desk and remember whom you're writing about' of Gibbs holding a cup of coffee and leaning into his drawer to get or replace his gun. When the writing is going particularly badly he glances up at it and thinks himself into the possible situations his Boss might be dealing with. Why is he going for his gun? Why is he putting it away? Why is he standing like that- is he injured or not? If so, why or why not? Who gave him coffee? How did the cup get from where it was made to Gibbs' hand?  
It's been a very useful picture and some days the smell of coffee reminds him of it even when he's on the job.

 

 

The sight of Gibbs with coffee reminds Tony of all the pranks that can be connected with it. Messing with a marine's coffee is something he's got away with more times than any other team member. Part of this is because of his ability to blame Kate, McGee or (only once) Abby. He likes to think the rest of the reason is because he's such a nice guy. There's something odd about Gibbs' sudden interest in teapots, but Tony has had enough head slaps and close calls not to get too interested. He and Ziva do have a quick discussion about it, but they're interrupted by Jimmy and Abby running down to find McGee and steal his computer.

 

 

Jimmy likes the fact he drinks the same coffee as Special Agent Gibbs. There's something about their shared need to keep awake and alert which makes him hope there'll be a chance for him to be half as amazing as the older man. Not for a long time, perhaps, and certainly no more than half as good, but there's still a chance. A man is what he eats. Doctor Mallard is fond of reminding him of this fact.

 

 

Abby likes the smell of Gibbs' coffee. It reminds her of her own, much colder, Caf- Pow. She especially likes the photo she dragged up from files (Kate had been testing out the camera Tony had requisitioned and lost- twice- in the field) of Gibbs and his coffee cup, related to a case. She hadn't found the photo until it was too late to ask when it was taken and what Gibbs was actually doing. She likes that- it captures the image of Gibbs. However she really prefers him with a Caf-Pow in his other hand. Hot coffee just isn't the same.

 

 

Ducky likes tea, of course. It's a stereotype he's always lived up to, but he's never sure about the smell of it. Tea can smell so good (or so bad) and taste so different. He has to actually brew and taste the drink before he can tell. Coffee, on the other hand, smells good. The American stuff doesn't smell nearly as good as other countries' he has sampled, but straight black coffee like Jethro's is his favourite smelling drink never-the-less. There's a photo on his downstairs cabinet which Abby circulated one day- Jethro reaching for a gun and holding his coffee. It's unusual because Jethro normally doesn't hold his coffee when arming, but Ducky knows from the timing of the picture (taken from surrounding clues) that it was a personal case. He considers the tea in front of him as he reaches for the new teapot Jethro bought him. The old one was destroyed in a rather ugly sequence a week ago. It's a good tea pot, but Ducky wouldn't be surprised if it improved immeasurably with age.

***

"Hey Duck."  
"Jethro, anything I had for you would be in the main..."  
"I know. But I wanted to see how the tea was faring. Can I have some?"  
"Of course...."  
There is a calming few minutes as tea is served, then Ducky takes a sip of his and smiles at him beatifically. "Jethro, my dear. You've been preparing this teapot, you clever man."  
"Wasn't sure quite how long it needed..."  
"Exactly as long as you gave it."


End file.
